I Run To You
by ThnksFrThMmrs87
Summary: There's only one person she runs to
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer—I don't own the characters of Tin Man, nor do I own the song which inspired the title and the story. That honor goes to the amazing Lady Antebellum.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. When the witch was defeated, when they began to restore the OZ to its former glory, everything was supposed to be magical and idyllic. They all imagined that the little piece of heaven Glitch had mused about would return in its full glory; but the reality was far different.

There were still outlying provinces in conflict, still longcoats trying their best to salvage their cause and take down the royal family. There were plenty of loyal royalists who felt betrayed by the request that they accept Azkadellia as a legitimate heir, and DG learned all too quickly that the OZ wasn't immune to disease and destruction.

A mere six months after the Eclipse it had become abundantly clear that the OZ suffered from the same plagues and problems that they had back in her other world; hate being one of the strongest. It was hate that had brought a would be assassin in the form of a fifteen year old kid to Central City with a gun. Hate had compelled him to fire the bullets into Az's chest, and hate had landed her fighting for her life in a bed in the palace medical wing.

They were all worried sick; the Queen was barely functioning and Ahamo had retreated within himself. Glitch had taken up residence in a chair next to the bed and hadn't budged in days and Raw couldn't be in the room with the emotions so strong.

For her part, DG was barely holding it together. Her sister was lying unconscious, and they didn't know if she would recover. She felt as if a vice was squeezing around her heart. The world was closing in on her and she didn't know what to do with herself. Most days she sat across from Glitch and just talked to Az about whatever came into her mind; everything from the trip to Australia she had been contemplating to the awful outfit she had worn at her waitressing job on the Other Side. But even as the words left her mouth she wondered if they would do any good, and she wished for the return of the one person who always seemed to calm her.

They went nearly two weeks without any sign that Az was going to wake, and the waiting only got harder. The weight on DG's chest seemed to get heavier every day, never easing. Desperation clawed at her but she knew she couldn't let it show. In her mind it was up to her to hold them all together, as if they would all unravel if she did. So she sat next to the bed, but she couldn't bring herself to talk. There was too much in her head.

"Anything?" Jeb asked from the doorway.

She shook her head sadly. "Nothing, not a damn thing." Her head dropped into her hands. "Anything on your front?"

He responded with the slightest of smiles. "Actually, there is something there. There was evidently some kind of hold up when they went through the fields of the Papay, but he just got back."

DG felt her heart pound as emotion took her over. She glanced briefly between Jeb and her sister, not at all sure what to do.

"Go, I'll sit with her until Glitch comes back," he told her quietly.

She nodded with a watery smile, and in the next instant she was on her feet and racing through the palace. She had expected the weight to ease, but whether it was the air being forced through her lungs as she ran or the fears on her shoulders, she didn't feel the relief she sought.

As she sped through the doors and out towards the gates their security team had insisted on she felt tears start to fall uncontrollably. It was clear that she had to look a complete mess, but it was the last thing she would bother to care about, because there he was; dusty coat slung over his horse's saddle, sleeves rolled to the elbow, worn fedora low over his eyes.

It was the murmurs from his men that drew his attention away from his mount. When he turned to see DG speeding toward him with tears streaming from her eyes his heart clenched painfully as worry washed over him. "Darlin' what's wrong?" She only shook her head, and all Cain could do was catch her as she threw herself into his arms. "What happened, are you okay?"

She shook her head before pressing her cheek to his chest. "I..."

"Sweetheart." Fingers tangled in her hair and he tilted her head gently so he could see her eyes; those bright blue eyes looking up at him swimming with tears. "Tell me what's happened."

"Az, there was this kid, this stupid kid… He shot her four times. Jeb and I were there and we couldn't… we couldn't…."

An image flashed through Cain's head at her words. He could see Az falling in front of DG's eyes, and the sudden knowledge that it could have been his son or the woman in his arms in the same position made his blood run cold. "How is Az?"

Pain lanced through her eyes and she shook her head once more. "She hasn't woken up, they don't know if she will."

"Darlin', you didn't have to leave her to come and meet me."

"But I did, I really did." She pressed her ear to the strong beat of his heart. "I wanted you here, needed you."

That made him feel just a little bit worse, knowing that he hadn't been there when she had really needed him. "I'm so sorry Darlin'."

A shuddering breath swept through her. "You couldn't have known."

"No," he said quietly, sweeping his thumb over her cheek. "But I'm here now."

"Yeah, and I come running like a crazy person into an entire regiment," she said with a soft smile.

Wyatt shook his head and bent to brush a sweet kiss over her lips. "If you hadn't I would have come running for you."

Note From The Author-- I was going to just say what happens, but that seems pretty half assed, so there will be a second follow up chapter


	2. Chapter 2

DG knew that she should have gone back to sit with Az again, but she just couldn't bring herself to stay there and wait. So while Wyatt headed off to his quarters to clean up, DG made a stop and checked in.

Jeb and Glitch were sitting on either side of Azkadellia's bed, each of them holding one of their hands. The former looked up with a small smile. "Dad's doing okay."

She nodded. "Yeah, he's getting cleaned up…"

"Then you should go spend some time with him," Glitch told her with sad eyes. "I don't anything's going to change here."

Holding back tears, she nodded and fled the room before she could give in and convince herself to stay. Fighting back emotion, she strode purposefully through halls and archways until she reached the wing which contained the private quarters of the royal family and their close personnel. Knowing that she would likely spend the rest of the day and night there, she went to her rooms and put on the most comfortable pair of pajamas she could find. When that was done she left her quarters and walked as fast as she could over to Cain's rooms.

There had been a bit of uproar at the thought of the Cain men having rooms in the royal wing, but the Queen insisted that they were just as valuable as Ambrose and that they and Raw deserved the privacy and luxury. Ahamo wasn't happy about the fact that his littlest girl was only feet away from the man she was head over heels in love with, but he didn't really have a leg to stand on. He dealt with the fact that his daughter was a grown up making her own decisions and in return DG and Cain kept it as platonic as they could in front of her father.

As always, she didn't bother to knock. There were a few people who were always welcome in his rooms, and DG was at the very top of the list. She sighed contentedly as she shut the door behind her. Somehow simply being around him always made her calm; and in his quarters where the subtle scent of him lingered in the air she felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

DG took her time soaking everything in as she made her way to his bathroom. Then suddenly there he was again, standing in front of the mirror in his pajama pants as he removed the last of the shaving cream from his face. He spotted her immediately, and the smile that crossed his features was one he reserved just for her.

"Hey Darlin'."

"Hey," she said quietly. She stepped up behind him and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her hands to his chest and her cheek to his back. His skin was still the tiniest bit damp from his shower and she couldn't help but nuzzle against him. "I missed you."

"I missed you too sweetheart. I wish I had been here for all of this."

She shook her head. "Like I said earlier, you're here now; and that makes all the difference."

Wyatt didn't miss the fatigue that was etched on every inch of her body, nor did he miss the fear for her sister that still shone through her eyes. With that in mind, he turned around and took her hands. "Come on, let's get you some rest."

There was no way that DG was going to argue with him, not after what she'd been going through. She didn't protest as he led her out to the bed and tucked her under the covers. She was afraid that he would leave her to herself, but when he slid in behind her she breathed a sigh of relief. As his arms came around her she turned to rest against his chest, dropping a kiss just above his heart. For a moment they were both quiet, but DG felt tears pricking at her eyes again; and with him there holding her she found she couldn't keep them at bay any longer. "I'm sorry," she sniffed. "I'm getting you wet."

"I figured there was a reason I didn't put on a shirt," he said simply. Bending just enough, he kissed her forehead. "You have every right to cry Darlin'."

She shook her head. "This shouldn't have happened. None of it ever should have happened."

"No, it shouldn't have happened; but it did. Now all we can do is wait, and deal with whatever happens."

Feeling something akin to wonder, she propped her chin up on his chest so she could look into his eyes. "How are you always so steady?" she questioned.

Cain shrugged, brushing a finger across her cheek. "Someone's got to be, and I'd rather be the one keeping you balanced."

With a soft smile she leaned up until their lips met. "Thank you."

"You're easy to love Sweetheart," he told her quietly.

"Interesting," she told him. "I always thought the same thing about you."

###########################################################################

Jeb knocked on the door for nearly a full minute before he gave up and walked in. He didn't want to do this, had been hoping for so long that it wouldn't come to this. When he entered the room he wasn't surprised to find his father and DG wrapped in each others' arms and practically comatose. They were both exhausted, so it wasn't any wonder that they fallen asleep. He didn't want to wake them, but he didn't have many options.

"DG." The princess didn't stir, so he tried again. "Deeg." When she didn't move yet again he sighed and walked over to the bed to tap her on the shoulder. "DG, you've got to get up."

It took her a moment, but eventually her eyes opened to sleepily search for him. "Jeb? What's wrong?"

"You need to come to Az's room, now."

The urgency in his voice had her eyes widening, and suddenly she was completely awake and upright. "Okay," she told him with a nod. Looking down, she realized that her usually alert Tin Man was still fast asleep, and with a gentle smile she bent to brush a kiss over his forehead.

"He's exhausted," Jeb said with a fond smile.

She sighed as she climbed out of bed. "Beyond exhausted. Let's go."

The walk was long, and it was awful They both knew why Jeb had come to get her, and neither of them was ready to face it. The closer they got, the heavier the weight on DG's chest seemed. They slowed down, dreading what was coming; but it wasn't until Jeb's hand blindly reached for hers and held tight that it really sank in.

A united front, supporting each other, they walked into the room. The Queen and Ahamo were just leaving, already having said their goodbyes. Each of them paused to rest a hand on her shoulder, a silent show of their love and support. Then it was just Az, Jeb and DG. Ambrose hadn't been able to take it. He had said what he needed to the woman who had become his best friend, and now he would wait for the final news.

DG and Jeb sat together by her side, their hands still joined together even as they both reached for one of Az's. It seemed fitting, the complete circuit of them. Jeb's fingers pressed into the elder princess's wrist. "Raw said it's only a matter of time," he said quietly.

She had never heard him sound so broken before. What had developed between him and Az some people had frowned on. Some people had flat out ostracized Jeb, but he said that in the end he had gained more than he lost. Looking at him then, DG could see it. He had been at her side as much as he could, though his duties had kept him away too often. She could see in his eyes that he was regretting that with everything he had. "We'll be here."

And they were. The rise and fall of her chest became slower, and Jeb's grip on DG's hand got tighter. Seeing the end, she felt her heart clenched and leaned her head against his shoulder. She never took her eyes from her sister's face, and it occurred to her how remarkable it was that even so close to the end she was so beautiful. With despair closing in, she whispered her last words to her sister. "I love you Az."

Jeb looked down at her with tears in his eyes. "It shouldn't have gone this way, sweetheart," he said quietly. "I love you."

It wasn't long after that. DG expected something more, like a feeling that the world had somehow changed; but it was just over, and it seemed so unfair that the world didn't stop turning for that one moment.

"She's gone," Jeb whispered.

DG was just stunned. The tears wouldn't come, nor would the grief. She could only sit there, angry that the loss of someone so important, so loved, wouldn't have a bigger impact. Her head raised from Jeb's shoulder and she just stared. "I…" But the words wouldn't come.

He knew in his heart what she needed, and he turned to meet her eyes. "Go, DG. You need him." She would have argued, but he shook his head. "Deeg, there's nothing else you can do. Go."

So she did, though this time when she went to him she didn't run. Her entire body seemed heavier, like she shouldn't be allowed to move without Az. She had seen this coming, had known it was a possibility, and still she couldn't fathom what had happened.

When she walked through Cain's door, she wasn't surprised to find him awake. He never lasted much longer after she woke, and he had likely been waiting for her for a while. As he turned to her, he could see it written on her face. "Darlin'."

"I don't know what to do," she whispered, looking down at her hands. "I was there, I was there and I just…"

It took him moments to cross the room to stand in front of her. He didn't touch her, not then. "You don't have to hold it in Sweetheart."

It was the nickname that did it. Tears sprang to her eyes as she looked up at him. "That's what Jeb called Az, just before… before…"

"Let it out, Darlin'."

"My sister," she gasped. "My big sister is just gone. Jeb was so in love with her and she was so amazing and she's just gone. She's just gone because someone was filled with so much hate!" she cried. "I don't understand."

Cain shook his head. "There's no way to."

She shook her head, feeling the world crumble around her. "Wyatt," she whispered.

It was all he needed to hear. He reached out and folded her into his arms, his heart aching for the loss of Azkadellia and for the pain the woman he loved was feeling. DG's hands grasped at his shoulders, a life line in the storm. She finally let go completely, weeping in his arms.

Wyatt just held onto her, knowing that nothing he could say could make it better. As she sobbed against his chest he sank to the floor, pulling her into his lap. It would be a long time before she would finally rest, and a long time before the pain faded.

He would be there.


End file.
